Arch support and ankle-tipping corrector



June 11, 1929. w. M. SCHOLL ARCH SUPPORT AND ANKLE TIPPING CORRECTOR Filed Aug. 29, 1927 E] B Mil/am Ill- Sc/Id/ Patented .lune'll, 1929.

UNITED STATES 1,716,740 PATENT "OFFICE.

WILLIAM M. SCHOLL, or enIoAeo, rumors.

Anon sorron'r Ann ANKLE-Ermine CORREC'IOR.

Application filed August 29, 1927. Serial No. 216,015.

My invention relates to devices for relieving foot pains due to ankle tipping which is induced by weak'feet, usually evidenced by a weak or partially depressed arch of the metatarsus. -Persons suffering with out wardly tipped ankles usually walk on the outer longitudinal edge of the foot which results in undue wear upon this part of the shoe and this aggravates the trouble and enhances the deformity.

The cause of this unnatural manner of walking is usually due to weak sore feet and especially to wea and depressed arches of the metatarsus and the tender parts thereof -and an effort to relieve the affected parts by imposing the weight of the body, which they should naturally bear, upon other parts of the foot.

The device disclosed herein is so formed that it constantly tends to replace the displaced parts into their natural positions,

The arch supporting parts, support and replace the metatarsal members of the metatarsus, and the outer thickened edge of the cover plate lifts the outer edge of the foot above its normal altitude thus constantly tending to rock or replace the ankle'and to produce correctly balanced feet 7 I have found it to be expedient and advisable to apply a remedy in the application of proper supports to correct the troubles with the arch and with the ankle at one and the same time. If the metatarsals can be restored and strengthened so that there is no pain when weight is imposed thereon the confidence of the patientwill operate to a great degree to straighten the ankle and if at the same time the outer edge of the foot is raised and supported the ankle will soon return to its balanced position.

One of the objects of my invention is to provide an arch support and an ankle correcting means in one and the same structure.

Another object is to provide a new supporting device of the character to be hereinafter described.

Other objects, advantages and benefits will hereinafter appear from a consideration of the following description and the accompanying drawings, wherein Figure 1 is a top plan view of the device.

Figure 2 is a central longitudinal section taken-on line II- -II of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a transverse section taken'on line III-III of Figure 1'.

Figure l is a section taken on line IV-IV of Figure 1, showing a part of a shoe within which the device is to be placed. In all the views the same reference charactors indicate similar parts.

The foot curativedevice herein disclosed is designed to lay flat on the inner sole of a shoe, substantially as shown in Figure 2.

The upper. plate 5 is relatively flexible and may well he of leather. I

he main body part 6 of the leather plate is of substantially uniform thickness. The margin outside of the dotted line 7 is sub stantially twice as thick as the main body part 6. The transverse section of the strip 8 is wedge-shaped with its thicker edge lying parallel with theoutermargin 9 of the plate 5. The part 8 is firmly attached to the body 6 by glue, other adhesive, or in any other satisfactory manner. A relatively rigid metal plate 10 is attached to the plate 5 near and below its front end. The plate 10 is triangular in plan and it is arched by being upwardly curved longitudinally and transversely. Only the front end of plate 10 is arched or longitudinally curved as shown in Figure 2. The front end of plate 10 is also transversely curved. The longitudinal curve of thefront end is made on a longer radius than is the transverse curve. The transverse curve is shown in Figure 8. The narrow rear end is sub stantially flat. The width of the front end of plate is just sufficient to lie under the heads of the second and third metatarsals. Plates 5 and 10 areattached by rivets 11. The front curvedend of plate 5 is skived to a thin edge, as at 12. This end curve corresponds substantially with the curve of the area occupied by the heads of the metatarsa-ls of the foot.

Figure 4 is a section of a shoe in which the device is to be worn, the section being taken on line IVIV of Figure 1, just behind the rear end of platelO. In the shoe 13 is the heel, 14; the upper and 15 the inner sole. 16 is the sole.

The device shown in Figure 1 is intended for the right foot and the shoe of Figure 4 is also for the right foot.

It will be observed that the thickening strip 8 tends to raise the outside edge of the foot and to cause the ankleto assume its normal natural position and plate '10 lv restoriiu the rarts to their natural osif, e l

'lODS.

I am aware that man ehai'i es ma be outer edge of the plate to a point near thefront of the heel which is of greater thickness than the remainder of said plate.

In an arch support, a transversely and longitudinally arched metal plate for supporting certain of the intermediate metatarsal joints, a flexible member overlying said plate and adapted to underlie the plantar surface of afoot, and a transversely Wedge-shaped strip underlying the outer margin of said flexible member for a portion of the length of said member, so that when a foot is imposed on said arch support the three hearing points of the foot are unsupported and the foot is urgedinto proper position on said hearing points.

In testimony Whereolf I have hereunto subscribed my name at Chicago, Cook County, Illinois.

' WILLIAM M. SCHOLL. 

